Enrollment
426
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Florence, AL
Harlan Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Harlan Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010153000534
👥 S:T ratio 47
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 15
📋 Attendance 33
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Harlan Elementary School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of Alabama schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools.
- #7 of 10
- schools in Florence · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.3:1
- small classes for Alabama
- 86.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Harlan Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 93% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Harlan Elementary School ranks #7 of 10 schools in Florence, AL.
School address
District: Florence City · Alabama
NCES ID 010153000534 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.3:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-25% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
86.1%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+46% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Harlan Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Harlan Elementary School
Harlan Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Florence, Alabama, enrolling 426 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 13.3:1, Harlan Elementary School is leaner than roughly 93% of Alabama schools and 25% under the state's 17.7:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 86.1% of students qualify for free meals, 46% above the Alabama average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 426 students, its enrollment sits close to the Alabama median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 227 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #49.
Its student body is led by African American (46%) and White (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 426 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Florence's public schools, it stands alongside Forest Hills School (906 students): Harlan Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.3:1 vs 16.8:1).
Florence City also operates Florence High School (1,101 students) and Forest Hills School (906 students) alongside Harlan Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Harlan Elementary School compares
Harlan Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.3:1 | ▼ 25% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 86.1% | ▲ 46% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 426 | top 59% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.3:1
Leaner classes than 64% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
426
Bigger than 51% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
86.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 46% above the Alabama average of 58.8%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.3:1
students per teacher
- 25% below state mean
Top 7% in Alabama - lower ratio than 93% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
27.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$13,248
per pupil, district-wide
- above Alabama avg of $12,491
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 426 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
39
in-school suspensions + 41 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 18.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 46.0%
White 28.2%
Two or More 20.7%
Hispanic or Latino 4.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 46.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.4, Harlan Elementary School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Florence City, which includes Harlan Elementary School.
$13,248
Per student
+6%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 45.1%
State 41.9%
Federal 12.9%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Harlan Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florence High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Forest Hills School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Florence Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hibbett School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Weeden Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Harlan Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,101
- Students per teacher
- 18.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 906
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 663
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 489
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 477
- Students per teacher
- 17:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar other schools in Florence
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Forest Hills School
Standard public school
906 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Central High School
Standard public school
596 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Rogers Elementary School
Standard public school
592 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
Wilson High School
Standard public school
585 students 15:1 students per teacher
Wilson Elementary School
Standard public school
552 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Rogers High School
Standard public school
510 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Alabama, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~426 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Harlan Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Harlan Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Florence City's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Harlan Elementary School
How many students attend Harlan Elementary School?
Harlan Elementary School has 426 students enrolled. It is a public school in Florence, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Harlan Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Harlan Elementary School is 13.3:1, which is 25% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 15% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Harlan Elementary School?
86.1% of students at Harlan Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Harlan Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Harlan Elementary School is African American at 46.0% of enrollment, in Florence, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Harlan Elementary School?
Harlan Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Harlan Elementary School rank among schools in Florence?
By Resource Investment Index, Harlan Elementary School ranks #7 of 10 schools in Florence, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Florence on the city page.
Is Harlan Elementary School a good school?
Harlan Elementary School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 93% of Alabama schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Florence City?
Besides Harlan Elementary School, Florence City also operates Florence High School (1,101 students), Forest Hills School (906 students), and Florence Middle School (663 students). See the Florence City district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.